No Need to Hurry
by Sarashina
Summary: [Akachan to Boku] Fujii-kun runs into Takuya at the grocery story. Shounen ai.


No need to hurry by the adorable dormouse  
  
"And there's no need to hurry, Take you're time I'll still be here. And I've been meaning to tell you..." --Closer, by Dido  
  
The house was too noisy. In a family of eight there was always someone blasting their music, fighting over the remote, or screaming to Mom and Dad about fairness and imagined offenses. When Mom complained that they were out of milk again, Akihiro was out the door and on his bike with hardly enough time for her to yell after him to wear a coat.  
  
Akihiro took his time pedaling to the grocery store. It was autumn and the air was almost chilly enough to make him wish that he had grabbed a jacket, but not cold enough to make him pedal faster. Although once he'd chained up his bicycle and gone in the store he was glad to be out of the wind, even if the refrigerated section wasn't that much warmer than outside.  
  
Akihiro grabbed a carton of milk in each hand and turned towards the checkout, but as he passed the aisles someone caught his eye. He stopped.  
  
"Enoki?"  
  
Takuya looked up, holding a loaf of bread. He smiled, "Fujii-kun, what are you doing here?"  
  
Akihiro lifted the cartons of milk in reply.  
  
Takuya laughed, "Oh, right. Silly question." Takuya, of course, was wearing a coat, buttoned all the way up, and his long bangs were squashed underneath a fuzzy hat. But he looked somehow strange, almost as if he were missing an arm or a leg or...  
  
"Oh," Akihiro blinked, "where's your little brother?"  
  
Takuya grinned, looking embarrassed and a little guilty, "There's a Shabu Five marathon running, so Minoru's been glued to the TV all day. I snuck out when he wasn't looking." Takuya rubbed the slender line of his neck, looking at the floor. Then he glanced up at Akihiro from beneath his lashes (which were much too long for a boy). "I know he's probably crying to Dad right now, but I've been dragging my feet a little. It's, um, it's nice to be by myself once in a while."  
  
Akihiro smiled, "Yeah."  
  
Takuya smiled back.  
  
Together they paid and walked outside. Takuya stood next to him while Akihiro unchained his bicycle.  
  
"It's a nice bike," Takuya said.  
  
It really wasn't. It had been second hand when Dad bought it for his older brother and time hadn't improved its condition any.  
  
"Thanks," he replied. He glanced over, then pretended to fiddle with the combination lock he used for his bike chain, "Did you walk here?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah."  
  
Akihiro slipped the lock into his pocket. One hand tightened on the handlebar of his bike until he purposely loosened it, thinking of the time Takuya had told him he was cool because he always seemed calm. "Do you want a ride home?"  
  
Takuya's cheeks reddened. Maybe he was blushing, or maybe it was just the wind. Akihiro told himself it was probably the wind.  
  
Takuya twisted the grocery bags around in his hands. He breathed deeply and said, "Sure."  
  
"Yeah? Yeah. Yeah, okay. Um, here." Akihiro took Takuya's bags, brushing fingers as he did. He turned away to tie their bags to the handlebar and Takuya frowned at him.  
  
"Are you sure that's a good place to put them?" Takuya looked dubious.  
  
"It's fine." Akihiro contemplated the logistics of this for a minute, "Okay, why don't you sit on the seat and hold onto my shoulders. I'll pedal standing up."  
  
"...All right." Takuya climbed onto the bike hesitantly and when Akihiro moved in front of him he could feel Takuya's hands hover briefly before settling lightly on his shoulders, one thumb brushing his neck.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Ready." Takuya's hands tensed and Akihiro pushed off. They wobbled a few yards until Akihiro's sense of balance adjusted to the added weight. Then they were sailing over the empty sidewalk, Takuya's breath warm on the back of Akihiro's neck. They went over a bump in the pavement and Takuya made a startled sound, his hands leaving Akihiro's shoulders to wrap tight around his waist. Akihiro's shirt had ridden up from pedaling, and Takuya's hands touched the bare skin of his stomach. His hands were cold.  
  
Takuya let out a nervous laugh. "You've got goosebumps," he said.  
  
"Yeah," Akihiro agreed. He aimed the bike over another crack and Takuya's hands tightened again.  
  
Akihiro slowed his pedaling until they were just coasting along in silence. When Akihiro saw they were coming up to Takuya's front stoop he thought about pretending he hadn't seen it, but he slowed anyway, gliding to a smooth stop. Takuya held on for a moment longer, then he let go and climbed off. Their hands bumped together as they untied Takuya's bags.  
  
Takuya smiled as Akihiro handed him the last one, "Thank you. For the ride."  
  
Akihiro leaned against his bike and rested one hand against the seat, still warm from Takuya's body heat. If he was a bit flushed, it was just because of the effort of pedaling two people.  
  
"No problem."  
  
They stood in silence for a moment until Akihiro sighed and squinted at the darkening sky, "I should get home. I'm sure they had dinner without me, if I don't hurry there won't even be leftovers." Akihiro grimaced, accustomed to the indignities of a six sibling family.  
  
Takuya bit his lip, hesitated, then said, "You know, you should come over for dinner some time. And, um, you could bring along Ichika and Ma-bou," he rushed to add, "Minoru would like that."  
  
Akihiro thought about his little sister's single-minded and enthusiastic pursuit of Minoru's affections, "...Are you sure Minoru would like that?"  
  
"Well..." Takuya hedged, "It would still be nice. Right?" He looked hopeful.  
  
Akihiro felt his cheeks prickle and his heart gave a jump, "Right. Yeah, sure. Sometime soon."  
  
Takuya's face was pink as he beamed at him, "Okay. Okay, bye. See you tomorrow." He dashed up the stairs and turned to wave once before disappearing inside.  
  
Akihiro lifted one hand in response to the wave. He smiled as the door clicked shut behind Takuya.  
  
"...Bye."  
  
He got back on his bike and turned towards home. It was dark, and the wind was cold against his skin, but there was a warmth in Akihiro's belly that kept him smiling the whole way home. 


End file.
